The 1976 water shortage meant that some UK households were limited to buckets of water from standpipes.
Photograph: John Walters/Daily Mail/REX

10 August 1911 (36.7C/98.06F)

On the hottest day in seventy years, a meteorological correspondent writing for the Manchester Guardian told readers how ‘torrid’ conditions were in London, the only relief being a gentle breeze from the north.

13 July 1923 (34.4C/93.92F)

In 1923, experts were predicting that there would be no let-up eight days into the summer heatwave. The outlook was ‘perspiring’, said the paper.

19 August 1932 (35.6C/96.08F)

It wasn’t just the UK that was struggling to cope with temperatures in excess of 30C in 1932. According to reports, they were ‘roasting’ in cities like Paris, where it was 32C (89.6F) in the shade.

29 June 1957 (34.4C/93.92F)

5 July 1959 (34.4C/93.92F)

In 1959, the southern half of the country basked in fine weather on the hottest day of the year, but day trippers to northern coastal resorts were sent running for cover as torrential rain followed a sunny start.

The Observer, 11 July 1976.

3 July 1976 (35.9C/96.62F)

The sticky summer of 1976 led to such severe water shortages that families were encouraged to share bath water. The Observer’s Sue Arnold took to London’s streets to see how people had adjusted to living in a hot country.